“A Black Family Christmas”. How Traditions Are Made.

 It’s interesting how traditions are made. I’m not talking Traditions” as in “Fiddler On The Roof”, No, I’m bringing it closer to home. In my family, which isn’t big by any stretch of the  imagination, one of my daughters chose to have the High Jewish holidays at her house and another would have Thanksgiving and Chanukah at hers. Easy greasy until the families expanded, but that’s for another time. 

The Black’s (yes,  that’s their name) of 1222OceanFront in Carlsbad, have a whole different story to tell, and tell it they do at New Village Arts Theatre in Carlsbad through De. 24, 2023. It’s called “A Black Family Christmas”. Pun or no pun intended, it was originally written by Dea Hurston back in 202

Victor Morris andMilena (Sellers) Phillips

Now after two years and a theatre named for her, it has been updated with new faces, music and more input from some of the original cast members Milena (Sellers) Phillips with direction by Kandace Krystal. 

What’s different from the many White Christmases I’ve seen?  Well, for one the characters are black save for one adopted son Javier (Matthew Javier) who is white and gay... and whose boyfriend Brian (Jacob James) is gay, black and Jewish, that’s different. It doesn’t get any more inclusive than that. 

Oh, and the house is decorated (Reiko Huffman) with symbols that include Kwanza Candle in the kitchen and masks art work from different black artists. The interior of the house is beautifully crafted and warm and homey looking

All in all, the family included in Hurston’s play, as mentioned above, is pretty much seen through a black perspective. But the overall message is that family is family and with few exceptions this Black family has its up’s and downs, crisis and suspicions, secrets and confessions, love /hate relationships, misunderstandings as seen through the eyes of people of color.

The Black family has lived on 1222 Oceanfront before the price of houses went skyrocketing and is now worth millions. When Dorothy Milena (Sellers) Phillips and her late husband James bought the house at that address, even though they could barely afford it, they needed a way to come up with enough for a down payment. By that time the neighbors were bitching because a black family was moving in. and no one made it easy for the Black family.

With the help of their extended family the money came through and for close to thirty years Dorothy hosted the family Christmas two day gathering for the length of the loan.  Over the years, traditions were made and kept. 

The traditional foods were Italian because they could only afford pasta and the fixings. Dorothy’s famous lemon aide was a specialty for her now grown son, James, JR (Halin Moss). In fact, he looked forward to having some as he and his now wife Aada (Kiara Hudlin) were heading to Carlsbad from San Diego for the holidays. All he talked about was his lemon-aide and the special relationship he has with his mother. For Aadya, she couldn’t get Dorothy to recognize her if she stood on her head and whistled the blues. 

Lizzy (Portia Gregory a hoot and a howl) Dorothy’s sister comes to the dinner with her specialty and food and presents.  She’s also carrying the ashes of her late husband, June, kept in a good sized Santa doll large enough to stand alone on the fireplace mantel so he can be included. Gregory is a hoot and a howl as the know it all sister who introduces Dorothy to her co -worker Victor (Victor Morris, who also plays James Sr. when the play opens). 

Halin Moss and Kiara Hudlin

Both she and Victor work at the Post Office and Lizzy wants them to get together. Victor is no shrinking violet either. He’s a towering good looking ‘cowboy’ who adds a whole new dimension to the dynamics of the family. He also lives on an avocado ranch in Fallbrook. Morris gets the show’s funniest and best song, the yodel-filled “Cowboy Christmas,” where he re-enacts how he wooed Dorothy on a gondola at the Venetian resort in Las Vegas. 

The show is pack full of laughs, some heartbreak, growing up, reality fixes for all members and would be members of the Black family.

Matthew Javier, Milena (Sellers)Phillips and Halin Moss

 Phillips also has some pretty sensual moves when she remembers dancing with Victor on a Vegas trip. The fact that everyone could sing and the entire cast looked like they were fully involved makes for a truly magical evening. Look for it to become a holiday regular. 

It’s not every day that a new musical /comedy/drama is as ready for audiences as 1222 Oceanfront. With most original music (“Cascabelos”, “Christmas Morn”, “Merry Christmas to Me”, “Cowboy Christmas”) by co- creator Milena (Sellers) Phillips and of course the usual traditional Christmas music, (“Silent Night”, “Hark The Herald Angels Sing”) it has a real holiday feeling especially under the deft direction of Kandace Krystal.

Music Direction Korrie Yamaoka, Stage Manager: Rosalee Barrientos, Scenic Design Reiko Huffman, Costume Design Zoë Trautmann, Props Designer Aria Proctor, Lighting Design Mashun Tucker.

The show runs a bit over 2 hours of fun, singing just plain something new. Enjoy

See you at the theatre.

When: 2 p.m. Wednesdays. 7:30 p.m. Thursdays. 8 p.m. Fridays. 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturdays. 2 and 7 p.m. Sundays. Through Dec. 24th.

Where: New Village Arts, 2787 State St., Carlsbad

Tickets: Check with Theatre

Phone: (760) 433-3245

Photo: Daren Scott

Online: newvillagearts.org